[CH.33] The author "Okome Takashi" and the illustrator "Spacium" (Part 1)
"How's work going? Has it settled down?"
"Yeah, well, you know. The house has gotten bigger too, so I can't complain."
"With your income, you can choose a better place. Living in Tokyo would be better, right?"
"I could go directly to the editorial department too, you know. If I had to attend the recording sessions for the anime adaptation of the Court Slow Life, being in Tokyo would have been better."
"Well then, come back to Tokyo again. Honestly, even if you go back to Hamayama, it's still the countryside, isn't it?"
"Umm, well... See, the branch office where I was transferred to in Hamayama is quite comfortable. On top of that, all my colleagues there are incredibly beautiful."
Casual conversation on a day off.
I liked this moment more than anything.
The conversation partner was Shirou Tokifusa. We were classmates in high school.
When Tokifusa was a member of the manga club, he said he wanted to become a manga artist and moved to Tokyo. I've been supporting him as a friend ever since.
As a manga artist, he didn't achieve great success and struggled as an illustrator, but he finally got his break.
That break was the publication of my novel. During a period when Tokifusa wasn't doing well as an illustrator, it was also difficult to find an illustrator for my romantic comedy novel, "The Story of Living Together with a Classmate Who Is a Goddess." That's when I consulted with Yamazaki-san, who is my editor at Kanikawa Bunko, and it was decided that Tokifusa, also known as "Spacium," would be the illustrator for this work.
Yamazaki at Kanikawa is quite the annoying editor personality-wise, but he is a skilled editor who has successfully worked on many works. Thanks to his recommendation, a promotional manga for "The Same Heaven," created by me, Okome Takashi, and Spacium, was published on Twitter and other social media platforms and it went viral.
Combined with the popularity of "Court Slow Life," which was already published in book format, we managed to secure a pre-release reprint, and it sold like crazy. I wouldn't be surprised if the reprints soon reach double digits.
By the way, even though I was supposed to be the one who initiated this, I have about 40,000 Twitter followers. Spacium, on the other hand, has over 200,000 followers. It became clear that manga artists and illustrators are indeed strong.
"But seriously, three beautiful women sounds like something out of Hanamura's work. Who are you dating?"
"I won't say things like it's not a good match or it's like we're still in school... But, at this age, if I'm in a relationship, I have to think about marriage, right? It's not easy to say."
"If it's Hanamura's income, it's probably tens of millions yen per year, right? At least for the next five years, you have a high income guaranteed, so maybe you should give it a shot?"
(Note: JPY ¥ 10,000,000 is US$ 66.930 at the exchange rate on October 1, 2023.)
"Well, someone like Tokifusa, who has a wife and kids, might have the confidence, but I'm not good with women, and my social skills are low."
"The lack of confidence is the problem with Hanamura. ...You should have had more fun in college."
Ah, college days...
I was all about track and field and spent most of my time running around in the nearby nature park.
Well, I also ran with the ulterior motive of catching a glimpse of a beautiful literary girl sitting on a bench... But I couldn't approach her because I didn't want to be reported. We had one conversation, but that was it. Plus, I had no talent, so I didn't achieve any notable results and eventually retired. But I did gain some muscle and endurance, so I still have remnants of those days.
Tokifusa, on the other hand, got married to a fellow assistant girl he met during his manga artist assistant days and became the father of one child. It's enviable how he managed to build a family despite the tough life he had.
Many web authors are married. Even though we're doing the same thing, I wonder where they find their partners. People often say they envy me, Okome Takashi, on Twitter, but from my perspective, I envy those who have found a partner and are blessed with children. How do you even go about dating? It's a strange feeling. It's like wanting what you don't have.
"Update complete~~~!"
"Good job, Tokifusa."
Spacium publishes "Mitsuki-san and Taichi-kun Were Childhood Friends" every Saturday at 12 PM on Twitter. It's about a boy and a girl who were close friends and even made a marriage promise at the age of four, but drifted apart for 12 years due to various circumstances. They reunite in high school and start a somewhat awkward but mutual love story. This also went viral, despite its awkwardness.
Based on Yamazaki-san's suggestion from Kanikawa, I came up with a scenario plot, and Spacium turned it into a manga for publication. This contributed to Spacium's rising popularity, alongside "The Same Heaven." Originally, Spacium had high manga skills, so what was needed was strong scenario construction.
It was decided that a comic would be released under the Kanikawa umbrella, and it also became a massive hit. Thanks to it quickly surpassing 100,000 copies sold, Tokifusa's life improved significantly.
I, on the other hand, was only responsible for providing the original ideas, so the workload was just right for me.
However, in the end, it sold so well that we decided to release a novel version as well... So, it's a question of whether the manga or the novel came first.
Manager Mimasaka really pushes this manga as something precious!
"Oh..."
"Hanamura, is there something wrong?"
"Oh, it's not about the manga. I got an email from Yamazaki-san."
"Hahaha... I can kind of guess."
"He's saying, 'Please submit these by May 15th,' and today is May 16th! He sent something that's already overdue!"
"That guy is talented, but seriously, he's a pain in the ass in that regard."
"My bad, I'll focus for a bit. With this content, I think I can finish it today."
I wanted to continue the conversation a bit more, but when work comes in, you have to do it.
Spacium also has a manga series to work on, so he's quite busy. I guess that's it for today.
"Hanamura, actually, I'm having a signing event in Hamayama in two weeks, limited to 50 people plus some extras."
"Really!? Are you coming from Tokyo? You're returning to your hometown. Let's grab a drink!"
"Yeah, of course. Let's invite the others too. And it's going to be on Saturday afternoon. I asked the editorial department if we could promote 'The Same Heaven' and 'Mitsuki-san' there."
"Since we're in the same department, that helps a lot."
"In that case, Hanamura, why don't you come too? You mentioned that you can't show your face, so maybe you could come as part of the staff."
That's a thoughtful suggestion.
I absolutely hate the idea of being recognized in person, so I've never revealed my face or voice on social media. There was even a radio appearance offer, but I politely declined it.
However, hearing the live voices of fans is something I could never have imagined. At Spacium's signing events, it's customary for fans to talk about their love for the characters while requesting autographs, giving me the chance to hear their affection for the characters I've created.
"If there are any stunning beauties, make sure to get their contact information for me."
"Uh, yeah..."
It's two Saturdays from now... I should look forward to it.
"Hanamura."
"Yeah?"
"With your earnings, you could be a full-time writer. If you did that, you could take on more diverse projects. Your tastes might be questionable, but you definitely have the talent for storytelling."
"Don't mention my tastes."
"But it says 'The Fusion of Tastes' on that 7chan thread, doesn't it?"
"I cringed a bit when I saw the 'Armpit Licking' lineup... even though I wrote it myself..."
Well, I won't stop you... Honestly, juggling this many projects while working part-time is quite challenging.
As a part-time writer, my schedule is packed to the brim. My weekends and holidays are practically nonexistent. I can't play games these days, and I can't travel either. I adjusted my schedule when I found out Tokifusa is coming in two weeks, but if it had been a sudden request, I might have had to decline.
But...
"I'm not quitting. I actually love my current job... and it's a lot of fun right now. I want to achieve more success with my colleagues."
"Yeah."
I'm not just being swayed by beautiful women. Well, I do want to work more with Manager Mimasaka, Nishina-san, and Kuhou-san, that's true.
Tokifusa and I ended our call, and I stretched in my gaming chair, relieving my lower back.
Being swayed by beautiful women... huh.
Well, the desire to work more with Manager Mimasaka, Nishina-san, and Kuhou-san is indeed real.
"All right, let's get to work!"
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